


Tsum Papyri

by BarkingPup



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: BAD TIME, Gen, Horror, There is ONLY Papyrus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 17:41:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6338893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarkingPup/pseuds/BarkingPup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In this world there is only Papyrus and… more Papyrus</p>
<p>~Zarla-s</p>
<p>A fic inspired by Zarla’s Tsum AU (if that’s what it’s called) and this fanart: </p>
<p>http://arrt-jim-lad.tumblr.com/post/140634801943/ok-but-zarlas-bean-au-tho-namely-this-i-mean</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tsum Papyri

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zarla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zarla/gifts).



> So.... this happened.
> 
> Also, ya see what I did there? With the title? Lawl, I feel so clever.

 

There was a storm that night. Wind rattled the trees, the shutters on Grillby’s clattering in the white out. The bar was quiet, a few of the regulars waiting out the storm in relative warmth and safety. Grillby himself tidied the glasses and began to wipe down the bar. He lifted Sans skull to swipe underneath and the snoring skeleton snorted and muttered in his sleep. Grillby gently laid his skull back down, delicately removing the ketchup bottle from Sans grip. He turned away to toss it. After a few days of being used the plastic bottles were useless. He would have switched to glass but the Dogi’s tails were hazardous to delicates.

 

“snrk…. can’t… reset already….. hnk…. wha… grillbz?”

 

The eye lights in Sans sockets flickered hazily. Grillby gave him a wave, placing the cup he was polishing on the shelf. Sans yawned and looked around at the almost empty bar.

 

“‘s it closin’ time?”

 

Grillby nodded.

 

“s’rry, i'll get goin’ no…” he yawned. “no need to call ‘paps.”

 

Grillby shook his head and pointed at the window. The skeleton's gaze followed.

 

“oh… geuss ‘m stayin’ fer a bit.”

 

Grillby nodded and continued polishing the glasses. In the corner Lesser Dog yipped as it lost another game against itself.

 

“yeh… yeh ever feel like… nothin’ yeh do matters, grillbz?”

 

The bartender started and peered intensly at the skeleton. Sans was staring down at the worn wooden bar, an exhausted look on his skull.

 

“i jus’... I get these… _feelin’s_ that i've done all this b’fore. that nothin’ matters. cuz everythin’ i do is pointless.” He sighed and slumped further on his stool. “‘s depressin’ ‘s what it is.”

 

Grillby patted him on the shoulder.

 

“don’ worry, grillby. i got ‘pap and ‘pap is all i need.”

 

Grillby would have rolled his eyes if he had any.

 

“all this too, but nothin’ compares to my brother. you know that.”

 

If he could have, he would have rolled them harder.

 

“pffft, papyrus ‘s cooler than all a snowdin put together.” The skeleton glanced out the window and sighed. “i hafta get goin’ anyway, ‘pap can’t miss his story.”

 

Grillby put his hands on his hips and leveled a hard non stare at Sans.

 

The skeleton waved a hand. “don’ worry ‘bout it, i know a shortcut.” He slid off the stool and started towards the door. “match you later.”

 

Grillby slammed a glass on the bar.

 

Sans paused with his hand on the knob. “yeah, okay, that was pretty bad.” He opened the door and the wind howled, almost blowing it out of his grasp. Snow quickly began piling up and Sans escaped, closing it behind him. Grillby let out a hot sigh. Sometimes he worried about that skeleton. At the very least he could be assured that Papyrus was there to get Sans partially motivated. Grillby eyed the storm. It hadn't gone down at all. He needed to prepare the dog beds.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

The next morning was crisp and clear, a crunchy layer of new snow sitting over everything. Sans woke in the usual fashion; to a screaming Papyrus on the other side of his door.

 

“SANS YOU’RE GOING TO BE LATE!”

 

“‘m up ‘m up.”

 

“I DON’T HEAR YOU MOVING AROUND SO YOU ARE NOT AWAKE ENOUGH YET!”

 

Sans rustled his blankets and plucked his slippers off his feet, dropping them on the floor.

 

“I WILL NOT FALL FOR SUCH TRICKERY, SANS! HURRY SO YOU CAN EAT YOUR BREAKFAST SPAGHETTI! NO NEED TO GO TO WORK ON AN EMPTY STOMACH NYEH HEH HEH!”

 

Sans groaned dramatically and rolled off his mattress. One of his slippers dug into his ribs and there was an unidentifiable stain on the rug.

 

“GLAD TO HEAR YOU HAVE LEFT THE MATTRESS! NOW HURRY!” Papyrus left in a flurry of clomping and the rattle of bakeware downstairs. Sans laid all akimbo on the rug. He sniffed. The stain didn't smell like ketchup. Maybe it was chisp grease? He stretched out his tongue. Almost…. closer…

 

“SANS!!!! I DO NOT HEAR THE SOUNDS OF GETTING DRESSED!!!!”

 

Sans groaned. The mystery of the stain would have to wait. He stood and looked himself over. Used to be white shirt with various red and greasy decorations, the blue hoodie he zipped up to hide said shirt, and shorts that were still good as long as he wiped off the dried ketchup on that pocket. He sniffed everything. Yup. Good enough. He slid his foot into one dirty pink slipper and paused. Hm. The other had absconded. He eyed the gloom of his room suspiciously.

 

“SANS!!! YOUR SPAGHETTI IS GETTING COLD!”

 

“in a minute, bro!”

 

His eye glowed, providing a dull blue hue and juuuust enough light to see-

 

“very funny.”

 

The Annoying Dog gave him a dog smile, pink slipper clenched in its teeth. The small scythe tail whipped around, disturbing the eddies of the trash tornado.

 

“alright, ya mutt, give it here. good doggy… c’mere.”

 

Annoying Dog stood and gave a muffled woof and took off. Somehow the door flung open just as it leaped and Sans watched it fly gracefully over the banister.

 

“pap! the dog!”

 

There was a clatter and bang from downstairs and Sans leaned over the railing just in time to see the slipper smack into Papyrus’ face while Annoying Dog wuffed its way out the mysteriously opened front door.

 

“OH MY GOD SANS THIS SMELLS DISGUSTING! WHEN DID YOU LAST WASH THESE?!”

 

“you don’t wash slippers, you sock it to ‘em.”

 

“SANS.”

 

“snrk, wash-a matter, bro, you can dry to keep up.”

 

“SANS!!! JUST TAKE YOUR SLIPPER AND GO TO WORK!”

 

“i think we started off on the wrong foot this morning.”

 

Papyrus threw a container at him and Sans barely managed to catch it. “TAKE YOUR SPAGHETTI AND BEGONE!”

 

“alright, ‘pap, i'll sea you later.”

 

“I HEARD THAT CONNOTATION!”

 

Sans chuckled as he took a shortcut to his Ruins station. The container of spaghetti was dropped behind “the spaghetti bush” in the forest before he settled on his chair with a sigh. He pulled out a jar of sauerkraut and twisted it open, scooping the innards in his palm and slurping the concoction into his mouth. Pieces of cabbage dribbled onto his shirt and he plucked them off, tossing them onto the snow. He sighed.

 

Lately he felt like everything was deja vu. Wherever he looked, everything that happened, was a surprise yet at the same time it was the same. Like he had seen it before in some dream. It was unnerving. He kept noticing _things._ Monsters that only half chuckled at a joke like they had heard it before. Expectation instead of surprise when he showed up. Questions that made no sense. It was adding up to something disturbing. Something he didn't want to think about. Fortunately, he didn't have to because his station was amazingly comfortable and he needed his beauty sleep. Sans pillowed his head in his arms and closed his sockets, drifting off as only a slacker could.

 

The grinding of stone on stone woke him up and he jerked, falling off his stool and into the snow.

 

_That sounded like the Ruins doors?!_

 

He blinked and teleported. He was now staring at the tangled, tall trees by The Ruins exit and entrance. He heaved himself to his tailbone and eyed the cracked doors. In all his years doing this he had never seen a hint the doors _could_ open. He supposed if Home had been there then technically they had opened at some point but not even Undyne’s screaming and bulging muscles could open them now.

 

Except, apparently, for the small thing that walked out.

 

He recognized it. As an avid consumer of the beat up, tattered science books that fell down The Dump he knew this was a human. The simple fact that, of all things to come out of The Ruins, it was a _human_ was frankly hilarious. 'Pap would have a field day. And give it to Undyne probably. Which didn't really matter because it didn't concern-

 

Wait.

 

He had _promised._

 

Uuuuuuuugh. This is why he didn't promise things. It was too much work. He heaved himself up, brushing snow off his jacket. Without body heat it tended to stick. Well, he also wasn’t one to go breaking promises. First, he had to introduce himself. He grinned. Oh, this was going to be fun.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The human was familiar.

 

The expressionless face, the mop of brown hair, even the striped sweater all felt like he had seen it before. It had also turned around before he could even give a properly menacing introduction which drained all the fun in that. The whoopie cushion was still hilarious. His brother was still the coolest and the puzzles worked about as well as expected given it was Papyrus. And yet at every turn, every word, every _thing_ there was recognition. He had said that hadn't he? Wasn't this puzzle already done? Why was this all so familiar?

 

Sans scuffed his slipper in the snow. A mistake because some of it fell inside and he had to dig it out with a phalange. Well, whatever was going on the human was moving towards Waterfall and he’d have to do actual _work._ Just thinking about it made him tired. Maybe he could lock Undyne in her house until the human made it to Hotland? He'd make a plan later, for now he needed to meet up with Papyrus. Hopefully he and the human had made friends whether or not the human wanted to. Papyrus would probably try and date them.

 

Sans snickered as he approached Papyrus’ so called “PERFECT AMBUSH AREA.” He didn't hear anything and his eyes scanned the area. Something red flapped in the wind and he squinted.

 

_What?_

 

Dread tingled down his spine. A rush of horror and deja vu. He didn't know why. He didn't know what. But somehow he **k n e w** something had happened. Something unforgivable.

 

Sans rushed down the snowy banks, losing a slipper in the slush. He stumbled, tripping over his foot and violently ripped his last slipper off, flinging it behind him. His mad dash slowed as the red object came clear.

 

A bright red scarf.

 

Tattered and mended.

 

Well loved.

 

A gift.

 

And lots of dust.

 

He took the last few steps in a daze, falling to his knees with a clatter. There were small footprints through the pile, leading towards Waterfall before they grew fainter… and fainter… and vanished. He didn't want to look back at… at…. his brother. If he didn't look he could imagine that Papyrus would come running up and-

 

_“SANS! SANS! I MADE FRIENDS WITH A HUMAN!”_

 

_“I CAUGHT THE HUMAN, SANS! NOW I’LL SURELY GET INTO THE ROYAL GUARD!”_

 

_“PICK UP YOUR SOCK!”_

 

_“_ heh. sure, ‘pap… i'll pick up all my socks, kay?”

 

“ _OH REALLY? WOWIE, SANS, THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY!”_

 

_“_ yeah… i know.”

 

He picked up the scarf carefully. He didn't really have a container for the dust but he wasn't all that invested in monster tradition anyways. By the time he got back, even with shortcuts, the wind would blow most of it away.

 

And it wasn't Papyrus.

 

That stuff.

 

Was **n o t** Papyrus.

 

He wrapped the scarf around his neck and patted it. He left.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

No one else died.

 

It was baffling. The human made friends with every. single. monster they came across. They sang and wiggled and complimented their way through Waterfall. He didn't understand. Why Papyrus? Of all monsters? Why?

 

Why couldn't it have been Undyne?

 

Why couldn't it have been Snowdrake?

 

Why couldn't it have been-

 

Been-

 

Anyone. Else.

 

He snuggled into the scarf and inhaled the scent of spaghetti and bones and dust.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

His personal lab was dark and musty. Something skittered when he turned on the lights and cobwebs wafted gently in the breeze from the door. He hadn't been down here in years. It brought up strange memories. But that feeling.

 

He **k n e w** that feeling.

 

It was the same thing he felt when the human shook his hand. The same thing that tingled up his spine when the human picked up his word search puzzle. The **s a m e** feeling he had everywhere.

 

He pulled the sheet off the broken machine. It had… changed somehow. Despite not being down here in years there was something different about it. He couldn't tell what exactly. His hind brain gave him deja vu. Off kilter. There were differences he couldn't notice because he didn't remember that it was different.

 

Heh.

 

He eyed the innards. Maybe if he… just… pulled and… hooked…

 

“Sans?! Hellooooooooo?”

 

He jumped, hands buried deep inside the machine. His skull cracked against the top, something sparked, and-

 

He woke to a concerned Doggo, swaying slightly as he stared down.

 

“Hey, Sans, you okay?”

 

He sat up and rubbed his aching skull. “what? ‘m fine. what are you doin’ here?”

 

“I didn't see you at your station so I came into town and heard the noises and well, here we are.”

 

Sans stared.

 

“I mean, normally at this time you’re taking a break near your Snowdin station.”

 

Sans stared.

 

“Uh… you okay, buddy? You're kind of creeping me out.”

 

Sans reached for his neck, the soft fabric comforting. “yeah, i uh… i quit.”

 

Doggo went still. “What?!”

 

“heh. there’s just no point anymore. why bother?”

 

“Sans, what are you talking about? Are you sick?”

 

“no one… no one noticed… except for me.”

 

“Sans, you’re not making any sense. How about we go to Grillby’s? We’ll talk over some burgers or something.”

 

“all he wanted… was friends.”

 

Doggo reached out to the skeleton and Sans magic flared, his eye burned, and he **c o u l D see** **_everyThinG_ ** _so Many_ **_t_ **

 

**_I_ **

**_MelIneS_ **

 

**a n dall t** **_hE w or ld_ **

 

_wassss_

_S_

_S_

_Papyrus_

**_Papyrus_ **

**_P a p y r u s_ **

**_P A P Y R U S_ **

 

“BROTHER? ARE YOU ALRIGHT? AND WHY ARE YOU WEARING MY SCARF? WAIT… IT’S NOT MY SCARF? DO I HAVE _TWO_ SCARVES?!”

 

Sans blinked back into awareness. He was still sitting on the snow, still in front of his lab. And _there_ _was Papyrus_. He reached up and the scarf was wrapped around his neck. It smelled of spaghetti and bones and dust. The footprints in the snow were paws. Papyrus _Papyrus_ stood on a pair of much larger prints, smelling like burned dog treats and wet fur.

 

“what.”

 

“BROTHER! SANS! WHY DO YOU HAVE MY SCARF? ER, MY SECOND SCARF?”

 

Sans reached up and grasped Papyrus’ face.

 

“ACK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

 

He felt solid, felt _real_ and _tangible._ He flared his magic and _it was Papyrus_ . But not. Somehow he had the same feeling of deja vu, like something wasn't quite right. Not just the smell and the lingering fur on the snow. Like something had _shifted_ and molded around him.

 

Did it matter?

 

No.

 

He had his brother back.

 

Sans stood up as quickly as he could and hugged him tight around the middle.

 

“UH, OKAY. I AM ALWAYS PLEASED TO HUG YOU, SANS, BUT I REALLY MUST KNOW WHERE THIS SECOND SCARF CAME FROM.”

 

“nowhere, ‘paps.”

 

“OH NO! MY PUZZLES! WHAT IF THE HUMAN COMES TODAY! COME ON, SANS, WE NEED TO RECALIBRATE THEM! ESPECIALLY YOURS, YOU LAZY BONES!”

 

“you go on ahead. i'll catch up.”

 

Papyrus eyed him suspiciously but the draw of puzzles was too great and he NYEHEHHEHED through town. So this Papyrus, or was it his Papyrus, new Papyrus? Didn't remember the human. That wasn't so bad. He could live with that. He took a shortcut to his sentry station at the Ruins and jumped.

 

There was someone there already?!

 

He ducked behind the counter and dared a peek. A very tall Boss Monster, probably female by the horns and lack of beard, wearing the symbol of royalty. She was looking around the pathway curiously and her paw prints went as far back as he could see. Well… whomever this was he still had a job to do.

 

Sans stood. “uh, hello?”

 

The monster jumped and turned a kind, gentle smile his way. “Oh, hello! I didn't know anyone was there! Have you perhaps seen a small child with a blue and purple striped shirt come through here?”

 

This was the lady on the other side of the doors. The one he had joked with. Laughed with. Traded puns and talked with for hours.

 

This was

 

the lady who made him promise.

 

This was

 

the lady who _killed_ Papyrus.

 

“Uh? Excuse me, are you alright? You don't look so well. Perhaps… if you’ll let me take a look-” she reached forward with a massive paw and Sans magic flared and he

 

**SaW** **_on l y_ ** **PaPyr** **_us_ **

 

**_PaP_ ** **yruS**

_PApyrus_

**_PAPYRUS_ **

 

“SANS? ARE YOU HERE ACTUALLY DOING YOUR JOB? THAT’S WONDERFUL! I KNEW IF YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO IT YOU COULD DO ANYTHING!”

 

Papyrus stood in stirred up snow, the faint smell of butterscotch and cinnamon in the air.

 

“uh….”

 

“IT MUST HAVE BEEN ALL OF MY MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES! I KNEW THEY WOULD WORK ONE DAY!” Papyrus struck a pose, scarf flapping heroically in the wind.

 

“SANS?”

 

Papyrus and Sans both turned at the second familiar voice. Another Papyrus was coming up the path, slightly scorched and covered in snow from recalibrating puzzles. Sans glanced between the two, sweat beading on his skull. The second Papyrus stopped and the two stared at each other.

 

“uh…. bro meet other bro.”

 

“WOWIE! THERE’S TWO OF ME?!”

 

“HELLO SECOND PAPYRUS! THIS MUST MEAN I’M _TWICE_ AS COOL!”

 

“WITH TWO OF US WE CAN DO _TWICE_ AS MANY PUZZLES!”

 

“ _TWICE_ AS MUCH SPAGHETTI!”

 

“WHAT’S SPAGHETTI?”

 

“WHAT?! ONE OF ME DOESN’T KNOW THE AMAZING DELICIOUSNESS OF SPAGHETTI?! HOW CAN THIS BE???!!!! WE MUST RECTIFY THIS IMMEDIATELY! COME, SECOND PAPYRUS! TO THE HOUSE!”

 

They both took off down the path, NYEHEHEHing. Sans stared at them, dazed. Two Papyrus. It… it was amazing. Strange. Impossible. One wearing the familiar battle body, the other dressed in casual clothing. One _not knowing what spaghetti was._ Whatever was going on…

 

He wouldn't complain.

 

He only needed Papyrus.

 

And he had lost him once.

 

Never again.

 

Logically, the human could try and kill more than one Papyrus.

 

Which meant…

 

he needed as many as possible.

 

From the current experiments and conclusions it was _him_ that did this odd Papyrus summoning. Whether it was something he had always been able to do (unlikely) or something that had developed (first experiment was with the machine, thus, probably the accident) he would have to practice.

 

Sans could feel his already permanent grin twitch even wider. His magic flared, eye burning.

 

_Papyrus._

 

_I’ll save you._

 

_Again._

 

_And again._

 

_And again._

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Snowdin was silent.

 

The snow was kicked up, disturbed, various prints scattered across the main street. There were no monsters to be seen. The windows at Grillby’s cast a flickering light onto the snow.

 

The light went out.

 

The door opened, a small skeleton bundled in blue stepping out. He turned and waved to the dark bar. “see ya, bro, got things to do, places to be.”

 

The door clicked shut on the confused face of a much taller skeleton. Sans trudged towards Waterfall, his slippers kicking up more snow. He could assume the human had reached Hotland by now at least. He felt a lassitude in his bones as he thought of all the catching up he had to do. Yet the thrill, the anticipation of seeing his brother again, and again, filled him with purpose. Determination.

 

The snow turned to rock, the small snowflakes to rain, and he saw Papyrus and he saw Papyrus and he saw Papyrus and he saw Papyrus-

 

“SANS!”

 

Said skeleton turned from his brother, eye glowing in the gloom of Waterfall. “hey, undyne.”

 

Papyrus looked between the two in confusion. “YOU KNOW THIS MONSTER, SANS?”

 

Undyne flinched. Sans patted his brother on the arm. “don’ worry ‘bout it, ‘pap. you go ahead. i gotta chat with undyne here.”

 

“SHE LOOKS KIND OF MAD.”

 

Sans winked. “she’s just hot under the collar. all fired up. flaming mad.”

 

Papyrus threw up his hands. “I AM DONE! I DISOWN YOU! GOODBYE!” He stalked away.

 

Sans grinned up at the fish monster. “what’s up?”

 

Undyne took a breath. “Sans. I don’t know how you’re doing it… or why. But Alphys has shown me some… pretty crazy videos. As your friend I have to ask you to stop. As the Captain of the Royal Guard I will _force_ you if I need to.”

 

“no idea what you’re talking about, undyne.”

 

Undyne clenched her fists. “Sans, you’re basically KILLING everyone! I can’t let you continue! I, UNDYNE, will stop you!”

 

Sans glanced down, fingering the end of the red scarf. “y’know… outta everyone i woulda thought _you_ would care. he considers… considered you a friend, y’know.”

 

“I have no idea what you are talking about. How about you come with me quietly and Alphys can take a look at whatever is wrong, okay?”

 

“you didn't even notice. did you make friends with the _dirty brother killer_?”

 

She flinched, stepping back. “Listen… Sans, Papyrus is fine. I’m sure if you come with me to The Lab, Alphys can show you on the cameras. She called me as soon as she saw… whatever happened and I’ve been with her the whole time. I haven't made friends with… anybody.”

 

“heh. so it didn't even meet you.” He stared up, eye blazing. “just means i gotta work even harder.”

 

“NGAAAAAH! I am SICK of this CRYPTIC BULLSHIT! Sans! You are under arrest for crimes against monsterkind! You can either come quietly or with a fight!”

 

Sans let the first spear crackle by, the wind ruffling the scarf. His eye burned, wisps of magic leaking from the socket. “y’know i thought you, of all monsters woulda noticed first.”

 

Undyne raised her arms, magic spears erupting from the ground. “I don’t want to hit you, Sans! You only have one HP! Just… come quietly!”

 

Sans casually sidestepped the spears, never taking his gaze off the Captain. “he was your friend. and you…” He laughed. “you didn't even notice he was _dead!_ ”

 

Undyne flung her magic at the skeleton, sweat beading on her brow. “Please!” She gathered all the magic she could and the entire pathway became a forest of bright blue.

 

“that’s okay.”

 

She whipped around, eye wide. The grinning face lit softly with blue stared back.

 

“he won’t die anymore. i'll make sure of it.”

 

The world went-

 

“SANS? THERE’S A RIP IN YOUR JACKET! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! WHO TRIED TO ATTACK YOU? I WILL HAVE WORDS WITH THE COWARDLY MONSTER!”

 

“bro i’m fine. just got caught on some branches, that’s all.”

 

Papyrus eyed him suspiciously. “IF YOU ARE CERTAIN. WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN WATERFALL ANYWAYS? ARE YOU FINALLY GOING TO TRAIN WITH THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND UNDYNE?!”

 

“aw, naw, bro i forgot to tell you that undyne went on vacation.”

 

“AAAAWWW, AND SHE FORGOT TO TELL ME? SHE MUST HAVE BEEN SO EXCITED IT SLIPPED HER MIND! THAT’S OKAY, THE GREAT PAPYRUS CAN TRAIN SOLO! AND WHEN UNDYNE SEES HOW STRONG I’VE BECOME I WILL SURELY GET INTO THE ROYAL GUARD!”

 

“you do that, bro. i've got a lot of work to do but i'll join you tomorrow, ‘kay?”

 

“WOWIE! REALLY, SANS?! THAT’S AMAZING!!! I NEED TO PREPARE SOME TRAINING JUST FOR YOU!” Papyrus ran off excitedly.

 

Sans watched his brother leave, content. The next time he saw Papyrus he would get a hug. Papyrus had the best hugs. At the very least it would relieve the ache in his bones and give him the determination to move forward. He turned and noticed the flash of light off a lense. He grinned and gave it finger guns before continuing.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The heat of Hotland dissipated as he entered The Lab. Sans wiped sweat off his forehead with a sleeve, sighing. He hadn’t done so much walking in years. Maybe he _would_ take up Papyrus’ offer of training. It would make his brother ecstatic and he would gain a little stamina. He cracked his back and stretched his arms with a groan. Welp, time to get moving.

 

The Lab was dark and silent. Papers, empty ramen cups, and various figurines were scattered all over. The giant screen above the desk was dark and he debated turning it on. Nah, it would just waste time and he knew exactly where the human was anyways. He shuffled through the papers and stopped at the door to the elevator.

 

It was locked, the buttons dark and unresponsive. He rolled his glowing eye and teleported into the True Lab. It was even darker down here, faint wisps of smoke or amalgamate floating haphazardly by. He began to walk, his eye casting a soft blue light over everything.

 

“aaaaaalphyyyyyys! you left your lab in quite a mess. i mean,” he chuckled. “it’s usually a mess anyways but it looks like you left in quite a panic.”

 

He peered at the three fridges. One shivered, melting slightly. He moved on.

 

“really, i can't believe you didn't tell undyne about papyrus. or even the human. she coulda slowed it down. maybe even killed it.”

 

The wisps of white moved out of his way, curling in a nonexistent breeze. He peered into the gloom and tsked.

 

“but you couldn't have that, could you? you just let a _dirty brother killer_ walk unhindered through waterfall. why would you do that? tell me, alphys, i want to hear it.”

 

Something clattered and there was a muffled squeak. His eye flared, briefly lighting up a white shape in the corner. His grin grew wider. He walked further into the hallway. Beds haphazardly scattered along the walls, a few old and yellow papers crinkled under his slippers.

 

“found you.”

 

Alphys huddled further into the corner, her eyes puffy and bloodshot behind her thick glasses. Her lab coat was stained with sweat and greasy water, a few dried noodles dangling from the collar.

 

“nothing to say?”

 

She muffled a sob and curled her tail around her feet, trembling.

 

“i woulda thought there’d be some sort of explanation, y’know.” He cocked his head. “but if there ain't… well… why bother even asking for one?” He gathered his magic and-

 

“I-I’m sorry! Please don’t! Sans, p-please!”

 

The glow dimmed and he stared at the shaking Royal Scientist.

 

“I-I saw b-but called U-Undyne because of _you_ a-and the human wasn’t- wasn’t doing anything t-to the other monsters s-so…” Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “Please, Sans, y-you don’t have to- to do this. W-we can work t-t-together a-and we’ll stop the human. Just please d-don’t k-kill me.”

 

Sans sighed. “don’t worry, alphys.” He leaned down and put a hand on her shaking arm. She looked up in hope, sniffling. “it ain't dying. you’re just becoming somethin’ better.” He patted the arm, straightening. “i can stop the human, i just need enough brothers that i'll never lose another one again.” His eye flared, lighting up the horrified lizard’s face. “‘sides, i only need papyrus.” Blue light enveloped the hallway and-

 

He hugged his brother tightly, breathing in the smell of ramen and disinfectant. Papyrus awkwardly patted his back, glancing around very confused.

 

“SANS WHERE ARE WE? THIS IS NOT MY ROOM!”

 

Sans stepped back. “nowhere, ‘paps. were you sleeping?”

 

Papyrus patted his heart pyjamas in shock. “I- MAYBE I WAS? ALL I REMEMBER IS YOU READING ME A STORY AND THEN I’M, WE’RE HERE!”

 

“no problem. just follow me and i'll lead you outta here.”

 

“ALRIGHT!!! BUT IF I’M AWAKE NOW IT MUST BE MORNING I THINK! SO THAT MEANS IT’S TIME FOR THE MORNING JUNIOR JUMBLE! WHICH I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL CONQUER THIS TIME!”

 

Sand nodded as his brother ranted about the newspaper’s puzzles and the inferiority of the crossword and word searches. He didn't see any amalgamate’s which was disappointing. It meant he would have to return later. He grabbed his still ranting brothers hand and shortcutted them to the main Lab.

 

“ARGH! WARN A SKELETON BEFORE YOU DO THAT, SANS!”

 

“ah, sorry bro. i have lots of stuff to do so i'll leave you here. you can take the boat to wherever you want.”

 

“Y-YOU’RE ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING?! I-I’M SO PROUD!” Papyrus wiped a tear from his socket. “DON’T WORRY, SANS, YOU CAN DO… DO _WORK_ AND I SHALL MAKE IT BACK TO SNOWDIN EASILY!”

 

“snow problem.”

 

“UUUUGH! NO, I RETRACT MY PRIDE! YOU ARE HORRIBLE!”

 

Sans laughed as he left his brother, trudging back to the elevator. If he remembered correctly he could turn the power back on and it would take him to the MTT Resort and The Core. He was almost done.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The human walked through The Core with unease. Everything was… off. They hadn't encountered any enemies in ages and the Underground was far too quiet. No other reset had been like this and normally they would be excited for something different, something new. All they felt was dread and a shiver that went up their spine. The power still thrummed, the lights still shone, but it was silent. They entered the room Mettaton would appear in and paused.

 

Nothing.

 

They took a careful step, glancing around.

 

Nothing.

 

They slid their phone out of their pocket and thumbed it open. The call log showed no new calls. Only Toriel’s number was displayed, Alphys hadn’t done anything. In fact, the Royal Scientist hadn't even been there. Neither had Undyne, now that they thought about it. Their progress throughout the Underground had been relatively unhindered, the random encounter battles tapering off once they hit Hotland. They put the phone back in their pocket and stepped forward once more.

 

Nothing.

 

Uneasiness crawling down their spine they rushed to the exit, wanting to get this particular run over with. They took the elevator and began walking. The Capitol was eerily silent as well, no monsters appearing to tell them the story of the First Human and Asriel. Their footsteps echoed and they rushed into New Home, breathing heavily. It was, fortunately, normal and they steeled themselves for Sans in the golden hallway. They felt a familiar thrill as they wondered what he would say different, now that they had killed only his brother.

 

The light burned, the pillars almost glittering in the orange of the windows. They stopped halfway, looking around curiously.

 

“so.” A shadow peeled off a pillar and they tensed. “you had a good time, human?”

 

_Oh, it was different!_ They listened eagerly, bouncing on their toes.

 

“i mean, you barely have any EXecution Points, didn't gain a Level of Violence. in fact, you made friends with everyone… well,” he chuckled. “almost everyone.” He stepped out of the shadows, hand gripped around the red scarf he was wearing. “i'd ask _why_ but… i have my suspicions. our reports showed fluctuations in the time stream and these feelings… this deja vu… i think it’s _you.”_

 

His eye lit up and they stepped back, wary after their No Mercy run however many resets ago.

 

“so what? it’s a _game?_ you did it just _cuz?_ he didn't deserve that. he probably tried to spare you up until the very end. from that look on your face i'd say i'm right.” He glanced down, fingers rubbing the scarf. “so… i made sure i'd never lose him ever again.”

 

They furrowed their brow. This was starting to deviate quite a bit.

 

“you killed _one._ you can't kill them all. papyrus will never be lost. ever. all I need is papyrus. he gets me up. he drives me forward. papyrus…” His eye flared alarmingly and _something_ began to shift in the shadows. The darkness was full and the _noise._ They clamped their hands over their ears.

 

“SANS?”

 

“WOWIE! THERE’S SO MANY OF ME!”

 

“I WAS MAKING SPAGHETTI!”

 

“IS THAT A HUMAN?!”

 

“THAT IS A HUMAN!”

 

“TOO BAD UNDYNE IS ON VACATION!”

 

They stared, horrified. The shadows were moving forward, the orange light glinting off armour and chains and watches and bone and bone and bone and bone and bone. The mob of Papyrus’ surged forward, closing in on them and Sans. All talking at the same time, in confusion, in excitement…

 

They jerked their eyes to the small, blue clad skeleton. His eye was still glowing brightly and his words seemed to come from right behind them, sliding through the cacophony in the hallway. “i only need papyrus. and you are not papyrus. haven’t had the chance to try this on a human so let’s see if i can.”

 

No no no no no. This was crazy. This run was… was wrong. Something had gone wrong. They had to escape. And reset. They turned on their heel and shoved their way through tall, bony bodies. Gloved and ungloved hands reached out for them, pulling on hair and slipping off clothes and skin. The noise was worse in the crowd and they could barely hear their own thoughts. They caught a flash of blue in the corner of their eye and desperately slid sideways, away from it. The mob seemed to grow tighter, thicker, and they struggled to maneouver through the forest of bones.

 

“found you.”

 

They shrieked and whipped around, everything went **b l u e**

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“SANS! GET UP YOU LAZYBONES!”

 

“HURRY AND YOUR BREAKFAST SPAGHETTI WILL STILL BE HOT!”

 

“I DON’T HEAR ANYTHING!”

 

Sans groaned and rolled off his mattress. The mysterious stain still mocked him but he couldn't figure it out right now. If he dilly dallyed he’d have a broken door and be flung down the stairs. He managed to slump upwards and stretched, cracking his bones in satisfaction. He checked his clothes, scraped some dried ketchup, and did a sniff test. Yup, good enough.

 

He walked down the stairs, greeting Papyrus on the couch. Papyrus handed him a plate of spaghetti while Papyrus frantically tried to put out the stove fire. He slumped into the couch beside Papyrus and chewed his spaghetti with determination, choking it down. Finally, the plate was empty and he handed it to Papyrus and stood.

 

“BYE, SANS!”

 

“BYE, SANS! WORK HARD!”

 

“SAY HELLO TO THE OTHER PAPYRUS’ FOR ME!”

 

“will do, ‘bro.” He exited the house and breathed in the cold air of Snowdin. He greeted Papyrus sweeping his walk, and made sure to give the Papyrus stationed along the path to The Ruins a tupperware of spaghetti. He made a note to go to Grillby’s later and try Papyrus’ new spaghetti shake. It sounded disgusting but Papyrus had been so excited about it…

 

He came to his station by the still open doors of The Ruins and waved at Papyrus. Papyrus bounded up to him, grinning.

 

“HELLO, SANS! NOTHING MUCH HAPPENED EXCEPT FOR PAPYRUS COMING OUT TO GET SOME WEED KILLER FOR THE RUINS! APPARENTLY THERE’S QUITE THE INFESTATION. BOY, ALL THE MONSTERS SURE ARE LUCKY THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT PAPYRUS’ AROUND TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS WHILE THEY’RE ON VACATION!’

 

“they sure are, bro.” He slumped into his seat.

 

“I’LL MAKE SURE TO TELL CAPTAIN PAPYRUS YOU ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB, SANS! SO LONG, BROTHER!”

 

Sans waved at Papyrus retreating back and sighed as he slumped over the counter. He smiled.

 

He was so

 

so

 

so

 

**s o**

 

**h a p p y**

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> You can follow me for more fics on my tumblr:
> 
> http://barkingpup49.tumblr.com/


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